I've just finished reading through Exodus as part of my Bible reading plan and it has reminded me of something my bible college lecturer once told us. It's a really great way of preparing your heart before God, especially before you read scripture, using the model of the tabernacle in Exodus.
First you come to the laver to be washed clean, then to the alter of sacrifice to offer yourself to God (those 2 may be the other way round...) Then stepping inside the tabernacle you first come to the candle stand - 7 lights which represents the holy spirit - asking the spirit to guide you, then to the table and the bread - asking Jesus to feed and sustain you, then to the altar of incense to Worship God the Father. Now your heart is ready and prepared to step through the curtain to where the ark of the covenant is - the place where the presence of God lies, so as you pray, read scripture, meet with others, etc. you will be surrounded by and experience the presence of God.
Pretty cool huh?
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Monday, December 6, 2010
Reading the Bible
So I know it's been way too long since my last post, first because of exams but more recently because of an injury to my knee which I needed surgery for. After having twisted my knee I got through exams but have been pretty much stuck on the couch ever since, and now have another 2 months or so worth of holidays with not much to do, so my aim is to do lots of reading, scripture in particular.
I'll be he first to admit I'm not great when it comes to disciplining myself to read the bible every day. I go through patches, sometimes I'll get in a good routine of sitting down and reading every morning, and other times I'll go weeks without reading hardly anything. I've also found that when I am reading consistently, it's fairly random, just bits of scripture here and there, or maybe a book or two all the way through, but not much more. And there's plenty of books I've never read before.
I'm also very aware that time spent in the word should be time spent with God, but too often it tends to feel like just "something I'm spose to do" and easily miss God's word in the words.
So my goal this holidays is to change how I approach scripture, not reading it to fulfill an achievement or task which God will be pleased with, but to truly seek the voice of God through the Holy Spirit. I've just started a new reading plan and whilst I'm enjoying it I can already see that I can easily let it become a task or a duty, rather than a privilege which I look forward to.
Will let you know how I go!
http://www.facebook.com/lukefromaus
http://www.twitter.com/lukefromaus
I'll be he first to admit I'm not great when it comes to disciplining myself to read the bible every day. I go through patches, sometimes I'll get in a good routine of sitting down and reading every morning, and other times I'll go weeks without reading hardly anything. I've also found that when I am reading consistently, it's fairly random, just bits of scripture here and there, or maybe a book or two all the way through, but not much more. And there's plenty of books I've never read before.
I'm also very aware that time spent in the word should be time spent with God, but too often it tends to feel like just "something I'm spose to do" and easily miss God's word in the words.
So my goal this holidays is to change how I approach scripture, not reading it to fulfill an achievement or task which God will be pleased with, but to truly seek the voice of God through the Holy Spirit. I've just started a new reading plan and whilst I'm enjoying it I can already see that I can easily let it become a task or a duty, rather than a privilege which I look forward to.
Will let you know how I go!
http://www.facebook.com/lukefromaus
http://www.twitter.com/lukefromaus
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